The present invention relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides a gravel packing screen with an inflow control device and a bypass.
Although some wells can be completed with sand control screens for controlling sand production, many wells are benefited by additionally having a gravel pack placed around the screens. Furthermore, some well completions are benefited by having flow restrictors, such as inflow control devices, integral to the screens to restrict the flow of produced fluid through the screens. In some cases, the inflow control devices may variably restrict the fluid flow, and may have the capability to respond to changed downhole conditions and/or be remotely controlled (e.g., “intelligent” inflow control devices). Very long horizontal open hole completions can benefit substantially from the use of inflow control devices in screens.
In spite of these facts, few (if any) wells have been completed with a screen having an integral inflow control device and with a gravel pack installed about the screen. This may be due to the fact that the presence of the inflow control device integral to the screen would impair or prevent the successful placement of the gravel pack around the screen when using conventional slurry pumping techniques, since the inflow control device significantly restricts the available flow rate through the screen during the gravel packing operation. Conventional slurry pumping techniques require a much greater flow rate through the screen at certain points in the gravel packing operation than is practically possible with the inflow control device in place.
Therefore, it may be seen that improvements are needed in the arts of well screen construction and gravel packing. It is among the objects of the present invention to provide such improvements.